🔗 Share this article

David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.